Airlines employ aircraft dispatchers for planning flights prior to takeoff and for following flights after takeoff. An aircraft dispatcher has joint responsibility with an aircraft captain for the safety and operational control of flights assigned to the dispatcher. The dispatcher, among other responsibilities, authorizes, regulates, and controls airline flights according to government and company regulations to expedite and ensure the safety of each flight. The dispatcher is also responsible for economics, passenger service, and operational control of day to day flight operations. The aircraft dispatchers should be utilized as efficiently as possible to control airline costs while maintaining the safety of each flight.